WEEKEND PIC: Sept 28 - 30 2007

Your Guide To The Weekend Viewing:

1. LUST, CAUTION (with Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Tang Wei, Joan Chen and Wang LeeHom) Rated: * * * (out of 4): With almost all the steamy bits taken out, this Ang Lee effort is more Caution than Lust. Still, it is a compelling watch if only to get the tone and flavour of his controversial epic. (Reviewed below)

2. THE BRAVE ONE (with Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard and Naveen Andrews): Rated: * * * (3 stars): What, another vigilante movie? Yeah, but this time around it has Foster as the reluctant avenger roaming the streets of New York City persuading us that sometimes we have to help the law find justice. (Reviewed below)

3. HAIRSPRAY (with John Travolta, Nikki Blonsky, Michelle Pfeiffer and Christopher Walken) Rated: * * * (3 stars): This remake of the 1988 musical does not have the memorable songs of 'Grease' or 'Saturday Night Fever' but it boasts of a Travolta in drag. That should be enough to lure his fans - and lovers of song-and-dance musicals. (Reviewed below)

4. I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK & LARRY (comedy with Adam Sandler, Kevin James and Jessica Biel): Rating * * (2 stars): This story about two heterosexual firefighters getting into a 'gay' marriage of convenience is too over-the-top and cringe-inducing to be funny. Only for those who like crude humour.

5. A NOTE OF LOVE (local drama in Hokkein with Sharifah Amani and Daniel Lee) Rated: * * (2 stars): This indie film about puppy love and an old couple trying to rekindle romance is rather trite but there are some nostalgic scenes of 'endangered' venues. (Reviewed below)

6. SKINWALKERS (horror thriller with Natassia Malthe, Shawn Roberts, Jason Behr and Elias Koteas) Rating: * 1/2 (1.5 stars): A B-grade tale about werewolves with a bad script, lame performances and a silly story.